Mari Mancusi always wanted a dragon as a pet. Unfortunately, the fire insurance premiums proved a bit too large and her house a bit too small, so she chose to write about them instead. As an Emmy Award-winning former TV news producer, she now works as a full-time author, having published over two dozen books for kids, teens, and adults. When not writing, Mari enjoys traveling, cosplay, watching cheesy (and scary) horror movies, and playing video games. A graduate of Boston University, she lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Jacob, daughter, Avalon, and their two dogs. New Dragon City is her latest middle grade book about her favorite flying beast.
Photo Credit: Sam Bond
Christina Soontornvat
Christina Soontornvat is the author of the Newbery Honor books The Last Mapmaker, A Wish in the Dark, and All Thirteen, which also won the Kirkus Prize and a Sibert Honor distinction. She is also the author of Scholastic’s beloved fantasy series Diary of an Ice Princess and several picture books, including To Change a Planet illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, which received a starred review in Kirkus. Christina holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree in Science Education. She spent a decade working in the science museum field, where she designed programs and exhibits to get kids excited about science and STEM. Christina lives in Austin, Texas. Her latest book is The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1).
